The Hill's Morning Report — Spending bill, Jan. 6 hearings highlight House’s return
The House returns to work this week with a full plate, headlined by the push to fund the government and the resumption of hearings by the Jan. 6 committee, as part of a key monthlong stretch before the November elections. After a month away, the to-do list for Democratic lawmakers is straightforward: keep the government’s lights on and chalk up some more legislative wins ahead of the midterms. However, that doesn’t mean this will happen easily, as Democrats are facing a number of potential stumbling blocks. Topping that list is the effort by Senate Majority Leader
Read MoreGOP senators led by Graham slam Trump Jan. 6 pardon promise
Former President Trump’s promise to grant pardons to the rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, is running into strong opposition from Senate Republicans. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of Trump’s closest allies, told The Hill that granting pardons to Jan. 6 protesters is “a bad idea.” “Pardons are given to people who admit misconduct, rehabilitate themselves. They’re not supposed to be used for other purposes,” he said. Other Republican senators are joining Graham in criticizing Trump’s promise to pardon the Jan. 6 protesters as inap
Read MoreDemocrats find hope in Florida
Democrats are eyeing what they believe is an increasingly realistic path to victory in Florida’s marquee midterm races after months of hesitation over just how aggressively to contest the state this year. The Sunshine State has proven elusive to Democrats in recent years; former President Trump carried it in both 2016 and 2020, Republicans have outpaced Democrats in voter registrations and the party has struggled with mounting losses among Latinos, a key constituency that Democrats once saw as a reliable voting bloc. But recent polling has reignited Democratic interest i
Read MoreDemocratic tensions rise to surface in sprint to midterm elections
Simmering tensions among congressional Democrats are rising to the surface as the party looks to secure a few more legislative victories in the final two-month sprint to the midterm elections. Both chambers have jam-packed agendas as they enter the final policy-making month before the November midterm elections. The House, which reconvenes on Tuesday, will not be in session in October so that lawmakers can head home to campaign — leaving little time for legislating. The Senate, which reassembled last week, is scheduled to be in session for part of next month,
Read MoreNew Hampshire House primary emerges as GOP proxy war
One of the last Republican House primaries of the midterm cycle has emerged as a proxy battle between House GOP leaders and factions of the Republican party. Candidates vying to face vulnerable Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas in New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District are jockeying over how Trumpy and conservative they are, as millions of outside dollars are being poured into the race and attacks have gotten personal in the run-up to the Tuesday primary. Matt Mowers, a former Trump appointee in the State Department, has the endorsement of House Minority Leader Kevi
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